Brassiere



H. HC5LSCHER Feb. 21, 1967 BRASSIERE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 19,1964 INVENTOIP Heinrich H'OZSCf/ER BY iwm Feb. 21, 1967 H. HOLSCHER3,304,940

BRASSIERE Filed Nov. 19, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Heinrich H ULSCHE R ATI'PA/EY United States Patent 3,304,940 BRASSIERE Heinrich Hiilscher,Heubach, Wurttemberg, Germany, assignor to Triumph-Universa G.m.b.H.,Bern, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Filed Nov. 19, 1964,Ser. N 0. 412,570 Claims priority, application Germany, Nov. 20, 1963, T25,100 6 Claims. (Cl. 128-483) The present invention relates tobrassieres having elastic supporting or shoulder straps which extenddownwardly beyond their attachment points on the upper edges of thebrassieres.

Brassieres are already known in which the shoulder straps are of anelastic nature and extend along the upper edges of the brassiere, tocross in the center of the brassiere between the cups or breast partsand continue below the bust to the back of the brassiere. Thisarrangement however does not provide sufficient support for and fails tomould the bust sufficiently, as these known shoulder straps, althoughsuitable as supports, are too yielding when used for modeling the bust.If an elastic gusset is inserted in the brassiere connecting between thestraps on the lower side of the brassiere, this merely functions toconnect the straps together, and the expansion of the straps is notreduced thereby. Instead, the strap is pulled transversely in'thedirection of reduced strength, and its properties are influencedthere-by, particularly if stressed continuously.

An object of the present invention is the provision of means which makesit possible to ensure a firm and durable support and good moulding ofthe bust by bras-sieres having elastic shoulder straps crossing oneanother between the breast cups of the brassiere.

With the foregoing object in view, the invention involves generally theprovision of a brassiere of the referred to type including a pair ofbreast-receiving cups each having an upper edge, an inwardly slantinginner top edge, an outwardly slanting inner bottom edge, and a lateralouter edge, and a pair of at least partially elastic body-encirclingside panels each secured to one of the outer edges of said cups andterminating in a pair of back portions of the brassiere fitted withsuitable fastening means. In order to provide for an adequate elasticsupport of and modeling effect by the cups, there are further provided apair of elastic straps in conjunction with a triangular insert or gussetconnecting the cups in the front of the brassiere, each of said strapshaving a front end portion secured to and extending along the inner topedge of one of said cups and along the inner bottom edge of the othercup to points adjoining the lateral outer edges of the cups, that is,with the straps crossing one another in the front center of thebrassiere, and, furthermore, each of said straps having their rear endportions secured to the edge of and terminating in the back portions ofthe side panels, to provide free intermediate shoulder portions of thestraps.

As a consequence, the cups in supporting and molding the bust areeffectively resiliently supported against outside forces and bodymovement on the part of the wearer, by the action of the straps inconjunction with the elastic insert forming a continuous body-encirclingstructure together with the cups and side panels of the brassiere.

An especially advantageous arrangement is obtained by the elastic insertextending from the center or crossing point of the straps to pointsapproximately directly below the tips of the cups, as will be furtherdescribed in the following in reference to the drawings.

Further by the present invention there may be provided a non-elasticinsert extending over the entire depth 3,304,940 Patented Feb. 21, 1967"ice of each side panel of the brassiere located between the cups and anelastic back part or parts of the brassiere.

The special advantages of the invention are particularly apparent whenit is appreciated that it is not an advantage to extend the elasticsupporting straps below the cups as far as the back of the brassiere.For stiffening and raising the bust in this area, the elasticity of thesupporting or shoulder straps is not sufficient. However, morefavourable effects are achieved if the shoulder straps according to thepresent invention terminate at the lateral edges of the brassiere and aninsert of non-elastic material is provided between the cup and saidpanels or the elastic back part of the brassiere on the other hand.

The modelling and strengthening action due to the described arran-gementcan be further increased by the formation of the cups themselves. Thusthe cups may be padded and/ or reinforced on the inside in known manner,this padding or reinforcement extending preferably in the form of astrip along a part of the edge of the cups and being preferably limitedto an area bounded by the outer side and lower limiting edges of a cupand a transverse seam of said cup. The strip of padding may extendhowever from the inner part of the transverse seam of a cup along thelower edge of the cup, gradually widening towards the outside edge ofthe cup where the upper edge of the strip terminates at a point in saidtransverse seam.

Further features and advantageous properties of the brassiere ofthepresent invention will be apparent from the two embodimentsillustrated in the accompany drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view of the front of a brassiere, constructed according tothe invention FIGURE 2 is a view on a larger scale of the inside of thefront of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1 FIGURES 3 and 4 are viewscorresponding respectively to those of FIGURES 1 and 2 but ofanotherembodiment of a brassiere, having features of the present invention.

In the embodiments of the present invention as illustrated shoulderstraps 1, which consist of elastic material, extend from the region oftheir attachment on the upper edges of the cups of the brassiere alongthe inwardly slanting top edges 3 to a centre position 4 of the frontwhere they cross and then extend along the outwardly slanting bottomedges of the cups 9 to the outer lateral edge or region 5 of thebrassiere forming connecting seams of the cups with the side panels 15.The back of the brassiere, although not shown, preferably presents asimilar arrangement, that is to say, the shoulder straps 1, extend asfar as the centre line of the back of the brassiere, where they arecombined in a connection with the extensions of side panels 15 of thebrassiere.

The advantages which can be obtained by such an arrangernent of thesupporting straps, lie particularly in the fluid lines and the simpleand clear formation of the brassiere, the extended supporting strapssnugly adapting themselves to the rounding of the bust at their lowestattachment. However the very strongly stressed insert or gusset betweenthe two cups and the lower area thereof require a particular solution.

Thus for the formation of the centre front area of the brassiere betweenthe two cups, the present invention proposes a solution which is shownin detail in FIGURE 2. Between the lower inner edges 8 of the cups 9there is an approximately triangular connecting piece 10 which istransversely elastic either partially or wholly. This connecting piece10 extends from the centre region or crossing point 4 of the strapsalong the edges 8 to the regions 11 which are approximately verticallybelow the tip of the cups. The connecting piece 10 is connected alongthese edges 8 with the material of the cups 9 and the shoulder straps Iextend beyond the centre line of the brassiere front and round thebottom of the cups along their edges over a length which is greater thanhalf the distance from the centre 4 to the other limiting side seam 6 ofthe cups. On the lower edge of the insert 10 an additional reinforcingstrip 12 may be provided which, similarly to reinforcing strips 13 onthe side parts of the brassiere is roughened on the inner face.

The moulding and strengthening action of the arrangement of such aninsert in the triangular area between the cups can be further improvedby providing an additional padding or reinforcing insert 14 in each ofthe lower regions of the cups 9. Each insert 14, in the embodiment shownin FIGURE 2, extends as a strip around the lower edge 8 of the cup, witheach strip preferably between 1 and 5 cm. in length.

The side parts 15 of the brassiere may be formed in any desired manner.In the embodiments shown in FIG- URES 1 and 2 they are of elasticmaterial and extend rearwardly from the limiting side seam 6, but in theembodiment shown in FIGURE 3 and 4 which is substantially of the sameshape, the side parts are of elastic material only in the back region 16thereof, i.e. in the regions adjacent to the limiting side seam 6 theyare of non-elastic material as shown at 17. The shaping effect on thebust is further improved thereby.

The embodiment of FIGURES 3 and 4 incorporates another formation of thereinforcing inlay in the lower region of the cups. In this modificationthe inlay 18 extends from a transverse seam 20 of the cup near thecentre region 4 of the brassiere in a direction first parallel to thelower edge 8 of the cups 9 and then along an are 19 bringing the upperedge of the inlay back to the transverse seam 20. This arrangementachieves particularly good stiffening or reinforcement of the cups intheir outer lower region.

In the foregoing, the invention has been described with reference to adiagrammatically illustrated, yet specific embodiment. It will beevident, however, that variations and modifications, as well as thesubstitution of equivalent parts and materials for those describedherein may be made in accordance with the broader scope and spirit ofthe invention, as set forth in the appended claims. The specificationand drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative ratherthan in a restrictive sense.

I claim:

1. A brassiere comprising in combination:

(1) a pair of breast-receiving cups each having an upper edge, aninwardly slanting inner top edge, an outwardly slanting inner bottomedge, and a lateral outer edge,

(2) a pair of at least partially elastic body-encircling side panelseach secured at one end to one of said lateral edges and terminating ina pair of back portions fitted with cooperating fastening means,

(3) a pair of elastic straps each having a front end ortion secured toand extending along the inner top edge of one of said cups to the innerbottom edge of the other cup to points adjoining the lateral edges ofthe cups, whereby said straps cross one another in the front of thebrassiere, and each of said straps having its back end portion securedto the edge of and terminating in the back portions of said side panels,to provide free intermediate shoulder portions by the straps, and

(4) a triangular at least partially transversely elastic insert disposedwith its apex coinciding with the crossing point of said straps andhaving its side edges secured to the adjoining inner bottom edges ofsaid cups the side edges of said insert extending from said crossingpoint to a position directly below the tips of said cups.

2. In a brassiere as claimed in claim 1, including a reinforcing stripextending over the entire base of said insert.

3. In a brassiere as claimed in claim 1, each of said side panelsconsisting of a non-elastic portion adjoining said cups and an elasticback portion of the brassiere.

4. In a brassiere as claimed in claim 1, including padding stripsunderlying and extending along part of the inner bottom edge of saidcups.

5. In a brassiere as claimed in claim 4, said padding strips extendingfrom points spaced from the crossing points of said straps to thelateral edges of said cups.

6. In a brassiere as claimed in claim 4, said cups fitted with centralsubstantially horizontal cross-seams, and said padding strips extendingfrom point spaced from the crossing point of said straps with a firstsubstantially straight and a second curved contour terminating at saidseam.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,149,819 3/1939Rubinstein 128-487 2,202,058 5/1940 Malnick 128483 3,186,412 6/1965Kurland l'28--483 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

1. A BRASSIERE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (1) A PAIR OF BREAST-RECEIVING CUPS EACH HAVING AN UPPER EDGE, AN INWARDLY SLANTING INNER TOP EDGE, AN OUTWARDLY SLANTING INNER BOTTOM EDGE, AND A LATERAL OUTER EDGE, (2) A PAIR OF AT LEAST PARTIALLY ELASTIC BODY-ENCIRCLING SIDE PANELS EACH SECURED AT ONE END TO ONE OF SAID LATERAL EDGES AND TERMINATING IN A PAIR OF BACK PORTIONS FITTED WITH COOPERATING FASTENING MEANS, (3) A PAIR OF ELASTIC STRAPS EACH HAVING A FRONT END PORTION SECURED TO AND EXTENDING ALONG THE INNER TOP EDGE OF ONE OF SAID CUPS TO THE INNER BOTTOM EDGE OF THE OTHER CUP TO POINTS ADJOINING THE LATERAL EDGES OF THE CUPS, WHEREBY SAID STRAPS CROSS ONE ANOTHER IN THE FRONT OF THE BRASSIERE, AND EACH OF SAID STRAPS HAVING ITS BACK END PORTION SECURED TO THE EDGE OF AND TERMININATING IN THE BACK PORTIONS OF SAID SIDE PANELS, TO PROVIDE FREE INTERMEDIATE SHOULDER PORTIONS BY THE STRAPS, AND (4) A TRIANGULAR AT LEAST PARTIALLY TRANSSVERSELY ELASTIC INSERT DISPOSED WITH ITS APEX COINCIDING WITH THE CROSSING POINT OF SAID STRAPS AND HAVING ITS SAID EDGES SECURED TO THE ADJOINING INNER BOTTOM EDGES OF SAID CUPS THE SIDE EDGES OF SAID INSERT EXTENDING FROM SAID CROSSING POINT TO A POSITION DIRECTLY BELOW THE TIPS OF SAID CUPS. 